So, I assume this is the pathway you're looking at. The top line is the typical track. The second line is the accelerated track. The third is for students needing extra support (and they say the hope is to phase out math 7/math 8). Clearly the design is to join the accelerated track in 4th grade but Math 5 to IM in sixth also happens (I know of examples at our MS, other posts have mentioned it). Once the HS credit courses begin with Algebra I, there's really no skipping levels (outside of magnet programs).

My child is in compacted math 5/6. He's recommended to take IM next year in 6th grade, which will put him on track to take Algebra in 7th and Geometry in 8th.

I have a 5th grader in compacted math and a 3rd grader who is being evaluated but not sure if she will be in regular or compacted next year. All of these math threads prompted me to look at the math pathways under curr. 2.0 and I am a bit confused. The mcps math curriculum chart shows 6th graders who had compacted math going into IM in 6th grade. But then each year thereafter there seem to be options, e.g., math 7 or algebra in 7th grade, and then geometry or math 8 in 8th grade, and so on. Ditto for grade level, there seem to be several options. Does the student's then-current math teacher advise which math class to take the following year? Or is the determination of which class you take each year based on grades? What is the typical math path in grades 7 and 8 for those who were in compacted math? This is all so different than when I was in school!